Aviator Allstars prepared for possibly the longest day in the cheer calendar on Saturday 30th March – BCA Nationals. With the coach setting off at an eye-watering 5am, not due to return to Leeds until 2am, the Harrier Jump Jets, Skyhawks, Spitfires and F-35 Lightning were prepared for an extremely long day. This was the program’s first venture as a whole to BCA, and the team had a great sense of anticipation and curiosity about this new venture! Each team was to compete twice on the same day for a cumulative score.
Harrier Jump Jets took to the floor first in Mini Level 1. They wowed cheerleaders, parents, and other spectators alike with a fierce routine, top end skills, and you could have been forgiven for thinking you were witnessing a youth team, or a much bigger team than just 6 girls! They did a fantastic job and finished the first round in 2nd place, to the huge pride of their parents. The coaches were seen hugging all the Harrier Jump Jets like “proud parents” themselves.
Aviator Harrier Jump Jets at BCA Internationals 2013
Next to take to the floor were Skyhawks. This team, an amalgamation of the Senior Level 2 Hurricanes, and Junior Level 3 Falcons, were set to wow their audience in the biggest division of the day with a highly skilled and challenging routine, complete with top end performance skills and confidence. These girls didn’t disappoint! They brought to the floor a clean routine and were very pleased to finish the first round in 2nd place.
Skyhawks at BCA Internationals 2013
Spitfires followed next, competing in a tough co-ed 4 division. Spitfires first routine was not flawless, but the skills wowed the watching audience nonetheless. Double based libs, round-off back-handspring rewinds, twisting transitions and dismounts, and a strong dance secured Spitfires 2nd place after round one.
Spitfires at BCA Internationals 2013
When F35 Lightning took to the floor, you could sense the excitement. This team were showcasing their Worlds routine in public for the very first time, and as BCA representatives for 2013 the Ladies of Lightning were determined to do their very best, to show why they had been picked. The first routine went well, but Lightning have exceptionally high standards for themselves and would not have been happy with anything less than perfect. However, the audience were suitably impressed and the girls were inundated with compliments after their first routine from kind spectators. After a session on BCA’s practice mat, the girls felt a lot happier and confident that their second showcase would be a bigger success.
F-35 Lightning at BCA Internationals 2013
The second round came, and Jump Jets took to the floor once more. If possible, this routine was even stronger than the last! Beautiful smiles, excellent flexibility, facials to shame some of the senior teams, and an excellent pyramid! These girls may be small, but they are skilled little ladies and definitely ones to watch to be future Aces, Lightning and Raptors!
Aviator Harrier Jump Jets at BCA Internationals 2013
Aviator Harrier Jump Jets at BCA Internationals 2013
Skyhawks continued the improvements and put out a cleaner routine than first time round! The confidence and determination of these girls to do their best was infectious and everyone was dancing around and clapping by the time the girls got to their dance.
Aviator Skyhawks at BCA Internationals 2013
Spitfires wowed the crowd once more, and bettered their first performance by hitting their difficult lib section much cleaner, and displaying their stunting skills in an incredibly difficult pyramid sequence! The support of the crowd was brilliant and displays why AV are such a strong family.
It was time once more for Lightning to take to the floor, showcasing their All-Girl level 6 routine. This time round, after a brilliant warm up, the girls displayed excellent stunting – level 6 mounts and dismounts, twisting transitions, gauntlets, thigh stand pyramids, high towers, super high skilled baskets and twisting tumbles aplenty. They more than proved that they deserved that spot on the Worlds roster, in 4 weeks time! We wish them the absolute best of luck!
Aviator F-35 Lightning at BCA Internationals 2013
Results were exciting as all the teams waited to find out whether they had managed to hold on to their top spots. BCA were only announcing first, second and third place, even in the very large divisions, so a mention was what everybody was aiming for. Thankfully, nobody was disappointed as Harrier Jump Jets, Skyhawks, and Spitfires were not only presented with beautiful Silver plates, but each received a bid to the US Finals event in Virginia, USA in May 2014!
Aviator Spitfires at BCA Internationals 2013
Aviator Skyhawks at BCA Internationals 2013
Well done to ALL the teams that competed this weekend – we are so proud of all of you and feel so privileged to have every single athlete as part of this program. Well done for your amazing sportsmanship, stamina and hard work – this is what makes Aviators special. Bring on Jamfest Europe!
-Kelly Loughlin
Aviator F-35 Lightning at BCA Internationals 2013
Aviators at BCA Internationals 2013
Aviator Allstars 